Legionella bacteria can grow in water systems under certain environmental conditions and can cause Legionnaires disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia, if the victim breathes in small droplets of the contaminated water. Hot and cold water systems, sprinklers, whirlpool...

Auto enrolment is a new legal requirement for all employers in the UK to provide a pension for workers aged between 22 and State Pension Age who ordinarily work in the UK. This applies even if you have one employee. An example would be residential blocks who employ a caretaker...

Are you aware that you could be entitiled to a FREE solar panel and save on your energy bills? What is Solar PV? The sunshine falling on your roof can be converted into electricity using solar photovoltaic panels, usually referred to as ‘solar PV’.&nbsp...

>>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW <<< This FREE Infographic includes: How the UK house prices have changed since the last EU Referendum in 1975 How the UK house prices compare to income Average UK house prices between 1975 and 2015 Current...

Tenancy deposit schemes are designed to safeguard your deposit and make sure that you get it back intact at the end of the tenancy. (Sometimes, there is a deduction made for the inventory check in or out, but that should be clearly stated in your Assured Shorthold Tenancy...

Do you need it? Yes. Landlord liability insurance is not a legal requirement and most landlords don’t have it. The reality is that most landlords have never heard of it and if they have they certainly don’t know what is it for and what is the level of cover they need...

How would you know if a vehicle on your grounds is abandoned? There really is no rule as a vehicle is deemed abandoned only when the authorised officer at the local authority decides that it is abandoned. It is O.K. to be confused at this stage. You could do...

Japanese knotweed is a non-native plant introduced to Victorian England in early 19 th century. Happy marriage lasted for a hundred years and in the early 20 th century England noticed that Japanese knotweed was rather an unruly, dominant and invasive partner and the marriage...

Are you aware that you are entitled for a FREE Insulation Grant from Government ECO Scheme? The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government scheme to obligate larger suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises in Britain. The new obligation period...

Many of us aspire to own our own home but it is one of the biggest decisions and financial commitments that we will make in our lives. For this reason it is vitally important to seek impartial advice. There are hundreds of mortgage products on the market, so how do you choose...

Deposit protection is important for tenants and landlords, benefiting both parties. Landlords of tenants in rented accommodation on an assured shorthold tenancy that began after 6th April 2007 must put the deposit into a government-backed tenancy deposit scheme. The landlord, or...

While the cost of living may be going down in London, the same cannot be said for the price of rent. Rent prices continue to rise in the capital. The north-west has seen a decrease in rental prices of 3.2%, but London has seen a converse 7.7% increase in the last year. While...

Ealing is one of the largest boroughs in London with more than 137,000 residential properties, out of which around 36,000 are in the privately rented sector. The private rented sector in Ealing has an important role in meeting housing needs in the borough and Houses in Multiple...

Condensation is on steep rise in private rented sector (PRS). The best example we all know is with cooking and bathing as there is an increased internal vapour. Later, however, the heat goes off, the walls will cool down but water vapour levels will take a lot longer to disappear...

There's lots of information flying around about the potential consequences if Britain votes to leave the EU on 23rd June. At Colin Bibra, we're most interested in the impact of this decision on UK property, and what this would mean both for us, and for you. Initially, we are...

Best Practice when a new tenant moves into a property is to supply them with the following documents: Introductory Letter with Essential Information (such as Emergency Numbers and House Rules) PAT Report (Portable Appliance Test) Current Gas Check Guide to Utilities “...

A leasehold property is a depreciating asset with the ownership of the flat reverting to the freeholder at the end of the lease. Therefore a lease extension should be viewed as a property purchase rather than just a legal matter. The lease extension cost takes into account...

It is vitally important that you make a Will to ensure that your property and assets pass to your intended beneficiaries following your death. If you do not have a Will then the Government decides who inherits your property and assets after you die by virtue of the...

Not satisfied with the way your block is managed by your landlord? Leaseholders have the statutory right to compel the landlord to transfer management to a separate company set up and run by themselves—the Right to Manage (RTM) company. Providing at least 50% of...

Last month, we have published an article about the Stop & Shop parking which Ealing Council proposed to implement in the near future. This proposal would not only prevent non-residents from using the Stop & Shop bays free of charge but would also threaten the local...

Ealing Council are proposing to make changes to the current "Stop & Shop Bays" in the borough. These bays currenly provide free parking for a fixed period, and help support local business. Ealing Council are proposing to introduce changes that will see residents of the...

What is Directors and Officers? Directors and Officers of management companies or residents associations of blocks of flats (who are usually unpaid volunteers) regularly make decisions that relate to the running of the block i.e. maintenance, planning permission...

The law introduces a requirement from 1 February 2016 for your landlord to carry out Right to Rent checks for a new tenancy agreements to determine whether occupiers aged 18 and over have the right to live in the UK legally. Why do you need to check my immigration status?&nbsp...

( Are you a tenant? See: Right to Rent: A Tenant's Guide ) The law introduces a requirement from 1 February 2016 for all landlords of private rental accommodation in England to carry out Right to Rent checks for new tenancy agreements to determine whether occupiers aged 18 and...

In the Government’s Autumn Statement in November last year, it was announced that it was intended to dispense with the current system of annual self assessment. An ambitious digital transformation proposes a plan for individuals to file at least four tax returns a...